Engine-starter.



A. l. SANDBO. ENGENE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETBSHEET 1.

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A. I. SANDBO.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE :7. 1914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

7 I I I I I I I I I I 5 W YYVESSES v UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ANTON I. SANDBO, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO THE SANDBO STARTER COMPANY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application filed June 17, 1914. Serial No. 845,628.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANTON I. SANDBO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine- Starters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to engine starters and more particularly for use in connection with internal combustionengines, and has for one of its objects the provision of means for efiiciently starting the engine by the introduction of fuel under pressure.

A further object of this invention resides in the construction of an engine starter for internal combustion engines having two or more cylinders whereby an explosive IIllX- ture is supplied to the cylinder under compression while the remaining cylinders are supplied with liquid fuel.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of means connected with the timing mechanism of the engine for determining the relative position of the pistons within the various cylinders of the engine, especially in engines of the multiple cylinder type. And a still further object of this invention resides in the construction of an engine starter provided with means for supplying liquid fuel to certain of the cylinders, for supplying compressed air and an explosive mixture to another of the cylinders and means for accurately determining the position of the compressed air and fuel charge controlling means with respect to the cylinder under compression in one and the same manually controlled operation. And still another object of this invention resides in the production of an engine' starter consisting of few parts, com- )act in form, etficient and durable in purpose, and which can be manufactured and sold at a nominal cost.

These and other objects will more fully appear and the nature of the invention more clearly understood by the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts thereof as described in the following specificatlon, defined in the appended claims and llustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a diagrammatic plan view of the starter, partly in section, showing the same connected to a four cylinder type of engine and the assembling of the working parts in their cooperative relation with each other, Fig. 2 is a side view of the starter showing the same connected with the timing mechanism of the engine, the cylinders of the engine being removed. Fig. 3 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of one of the valve chambers.

I deem it expedient to here state that while I have shown the invention as applied to an engine of the four cylinder type, it is to be understood that the same is equally applicable to engines having any number of cylinders, the only alterations necessary be- Iiong inf the addition or reduction of the numpumps and supply pipes; and fur-:

ther that the device constituting this inven- 7 tion may be made of any suitable material,

struction of engines now in use, the starter being of compact form thus occupying little space.

Referring to the drawings, A, B, C and D represents the cylinders of an engine, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 represents the fuel supply pipes connected to the respective cylinders of the engine, the fuel supply pipes l, 2, 3 and 4 having their opposite ends connected to the valve chambers 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively, the valve chambers being connected to the main fuel pipe 9 which leads from the fuel reservoir 10. Each of the respective valve chambers is connected with the main fuel supply pipe 9 by the port 11 over which is positioned within the valve chamber the lower valve cage 12 provided with the valve seat 13 upon which is seated the ball valve 14, the valve cage 12 being provided with the side port 15 and positioned within the valve chambers and resting upon the lower valve cage 12 is the upper valve cage 16 provided with the valve seat 17 in which is seated the ball valve 18, and resting upon the upper edge of the valve cage 16 is the flanged end 19 of one of the auxiliary sup- 18 adapted to any of the well known conply pipes 2 which extends through and is retained upon the valve cage 16 within the valve chamber 6 by the apertured retaining nut 20, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Connected to the respective valve chambers 5, 6, 7 and 8 and communicating with the ports 15 of the valve cages 12 therein are the pump cylinders 21 in each of which is mounted the reciprocating pump plunger 22, the pump cylinders 21 being provided upon their outer ends with the stuffing box 23 through which the plungers 22 pass, the plungers 22 having their ends connected together by the yoke 24 retained thereon by the nuts 25, and centrally and slidably mounted within the yoke 24 is the screw threaded actuating rod 26 provided with the outer stop nut 27 and the inner stop nut 28, the stop nuts 27 and 28 being arranged upon the rod 26 at either side of the yoke 24 and adjustable upon the rod 26 for increasing or diminishing the space between the stop nuts for regulating the throw or pitch of the pump plungers 22, the outer extremity of the actuating rod 26 being connected toone end of the bar 29 by the retaining nuts 30 at either side of the bar 29, the opposite end of the bar 29 being adjustably mounted upon the piston rod 31 and retained thereon in adjusted position by the retaining nuts 32, the piston rod 31 being provided at its outer end with the handle 33 for operating the piston rod 31.

At one side of the fuel reservoir 10 is the air compressor cylinder 34 within which operates a portion of the piston rod 31 having arranged upon its inner end the piston 35 for drawing the air into the cylinder 34 through the valved inlet port 36 and afterward force the air out of the cylinder 34 under pressure through the valve outlet port 7 37 through the air pipe 38 into one side of the air valve chamber 39.

The air valve chamber 39 consists of an elongated cylinder provided with an aper 1 valve 46 being retained upon the valve rod 47 in its respective adjusted position by the nuts 48 at each end of the valve 46, the valve 46 being further provided with an elongated circular rectangular port 49, the port 49 being arranged in the bottom of the valve at a point intermediate of the ends thereof, the port 49 being designed to register with either of the successively arranged ports 50 formed in the bottom wall of the air valve chamber 39 according to the longitudinal movement and positioning of the valve 46 by the valve rod 47.

The auxiliary supply pipes 1, 2, 3 and 4 at a point intermediate of their ends are drawn inwardly in close proximity to each other and at this point are rigidly secured at the under side of the air valve chamber 39, each of the auxiliary supply pipes being provided with a port corresponding to the ports 50 in the bottom of the air valve chamber 39 for establishing communication between the interior of the respective auxiliary pipes with the interior of the air valve chamber 39, the communication, however,

being cut off by the valve 46 except at the 7 point where the port 49 in the valve 46 is arm 51 engaging the collar 53 when the pis ton rod 31 is drawn outwardly, this movement of the end 52 of the arm 51 forces the collar 53 outwardly against the spring 54 surrounding the valve rod 47 and interposed between the collar 53 and the head 55 on the end of the valve rod 47, the force of the spring 54 against the head 55 forces the valve rod 47 in one direction for causing the registration of the port 49 with one of the ports 50 in the direction of the movement of the valve 46, and upon the inwardmovement of the piston rod 31 which carries the arm 51 and end 52 of the arm 51recedes from the collar 53 sliding along the valve rod 47 until the same reaches the stop nut 56 being provided for moving the valve rod 47 and the valve 46 in the opposite direction so that the port 49 may be in registration with the ports 50 toward the other end of the air valve chamber 39 when the necessity arises.

For determining the cylinder which is under compression in order that the port 49 of the valve 46 may be placed in registration with the proper port 50 the controlling disk 57 is provided, the disk 57 having the contact points 58 arranged thereon, and for revolving the disk the same is mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 59 having the beveled gear 60 on the opposite end of the shaft 59 for meshing with a similar beveled gear 61 secured to the end of the. cam or timing shaft 62 of the engine.

Arranged upon the upper surface of the disk 57 are the quadrants a, b, c and (Z of different radii, the radii of the quadrants increasing proportionately throughout the radius of the disk 57, the disk being so positioned and timed that the respective quadrants a, b, c and d correspond with the cylinders A, B, C and D of the engine, there being shown four quadrants and four cylinders, however, the quadrants and cylinders being of a greater or less number according to the contraction of the engine used, and designed to engage the quadrants upon the disk 57 is the hook 63 depending from the end of the valve rod 47 of the valve 46. denotes the filling plug for the fuel reservoir 10.

The features and advantages of my invention will be more clearly understood by the following operation :When it is desired to start the engine, especially when the same is upon an automobile, the operator of the vehicle has only to grasp the handle 33 which is positioned within easy reach of the operator of the vehicle and by drawing the same outwardly together with the piston rod 31, the piston 35 sucks air into the compressor cylinder 34 through the inlet port 36, the outward movement of the piston rod 31 carries the arms 29 and 51 outwardly at the same time, this movement also pulls the rod 26 outwardly until the stop nut 28- engages the yoke 24 whereupon the plungers 22 of the liquid pumps 21 draw in a supply of fuel from the reservoir tank 10, and at the same time the end 52 of the arm 51 slides along the valve rod 47 until just before the piston rod 31 reaches its outermost limit, the end 52 of the bar 51 contacts with the collar 53 and by forcing the same against the spring 54, the spring 54 contacting with the head 55 of the valve rod 47 thereby moves the rod 47 also outwardly until the hook 63 upon the opposite end of the valve rod 47 engages one of the quadrants upon the disk 57 thus limiting the further movement of the valve rod 47 and the valve 46 whereby the port 49 of the valve 46 is brought into proper registration with one of the ports 50 leading into one of the series of auxiliary supply pipes 1, 2, 3 and 4, the position of the relative parts in the drawings illustrating the cylinder C being under compression, the hook 63 engaging the quadrant c, which quadrant corresponds to the cylinder C of the engine, the quadrants being so adjusted and timed with respect to the timing mechanism of the engine that the quadrants readily indicate the cylinder of the engine which is then under compression. The port 49 in the drawing registering with the port 50 of the auxiliary supply pipe 3 leading to the cylinder C will allow the air from thecompressor 34 passing through the pipe 38 into the valve chamber 39 to be forced into the liquid in the pipe 3 through the port 49 upon the inward movement of the piston rod 31 which not only forces the piston 35 inwardly but also the pump plungers 22 for forcing the liquid in the respective cylinders, the valve 46 however, closes all of the ports 50 except the one leading into the pipe 3. It will also be seen that under this operation liquid fuel will be forced into the cylinders A, B and D while liquid fuel and air forming the combustible material will be forced into the cylinder C, which cylinder is now under compression whereby upon the closing of the circuit of the engine the spark in cylinder C will explode the charge and the engine is thereby started. The piston rod upon its further movement inwardly causes the end 52 of the arm 51 to engage the nut 56 and forces the valve rod 47 for a suiiicient distance to position the hook 63 beyond the path of movement of the quadrants upon the disk 57 as shown in dotted lines at 64, the valve 46 in the meantime moving sufiiciently to close all of the ports 50 leading into the respective auxiliary supply pipes 1, 2, 3 and 4 and the starter is now in position for the next starting operation, the disk 57 however continually revolving with the engine.

It is to be noted that the supply of fuel to be forced into the cylinders may be increased or diminished by the length of stroke of the plungers 22 regulated by the adjustments of the stop nuts 27 and 23 upon the screw threaded actuating rod 26 which passes through the yoke 25 of the plungers 22, the aperture of the valve 46 is also capable of adjustment upon the rod 47 as well as the stop nut 56 with which the end 52 of the arm 51 contacts.

From the foregoing description, it is clearly apparent that the present invention meets the long felt want namely: An engine starter which may be efficiently operated without the necessity of the driver of the machine leaving his seat and initially supplying a combustible mixture in the cylinder under compression as well as to supply the fuel in liquid form to the remaining cylinders, this latter being preferred for pre venting the leakage of the fuel through open ports which would necessarily be the case if the fuel was injected into the cylinders which are not under compression in the form of a gaseous mixture.

While I have here shown and described. the preferred form of my invention, I hereby reserve the right to make such variations and alterations therein from time to time as I may deem expedient and which will neither depart from the spirit of this 1I1VGI1-- tion nor conflict with the scope of the claims Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and the timing mechanism thereof, of means operated by the timing mechanism for determining the cylinder under compression,

means for supplying gaseous fuel to the cylinder under compression, means for-supplying liquid fuel to the cylinders not under compression, and means for actuating said fuel supplying means in one operation.

2. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and the timing mechanism thereof, of means operated by the timing mechanism for determining the cylinder under compression, the liquid fuel reservoir, means for supplying the fuel to said cylinders from said reservoir, an air chamber, means for supplying air to said air chamber, and means within said air chamber for directing the air into the fuel in its passage to said cylinder under compression.

3. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and thetiming mechanism thereof, of means operated by the timing mechanism for determining the cylinder under compression, a fuel reservoir, means for supplying fuel to the cylinders, an air chamber connected to said fuel supplying means, means for supplying air under pressure to said air chamber, means within said air chamber for dis tributing the air into said fuel supplying means, said air distributing means being operated by said air supplying means, and means upon said determining means for limiting the movement of said air distributing means.

4:. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and the timing mechanism thereof, of a liquid fuel reservoir, a main fuel supply pipe leading therefrom, a plurality of valve chambers connected to said main fuel supply pipe, fuel supply pipes for said cylinders, pumps connecting said valve chambers for supplying fuel to said cylinders, an air valve connected to said supply pipes, connections between said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, an air compressor for supplying air to said air chamber, a valve operated within said air chamber for distributing air into certain of said fuel supply pipes, means for actuating the air compressor and said air valve, means operated by the timing mechanism of the engine for determining the cylinder under compression, and means connecting said determining means with said air valve, for positioning the same for distributing air into the fuel in the supply pipe leading to said compression cylinder.

5. An engine starter, in'combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and the timing mechanism thereof, of a fuel reservoir, fuel supply pipes for said cylinders, means for forcing the fuel into said cylinder an air chamber in communication with said fuel supply pipes, a valve Within said air chamber for distributing air in certain of said supply pipes, means for supplying air to said air chamber, and means for operating said air supplying means, said fuel supplying means, and said air distributing means in consecutive-order during each operation.

6. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders of an explosive engine, and the timing mechanism thereof, of a fuel reservoir, fuel supply pipes for said cylinders, means for forcing the fuel into said cylinders, an air chamber in communication with said fuel supply pipes, a valve Within said air chamber for distributing air in certain of said supply pipes, means for supplying air to said air chamber, means for operating said air supplying means, said fuel supply means, and said air distributing means in alternating succession during one operation, and means operated by the timing mechanism of the engine for determining the cylinder under compression and for limiting the movement of the air distributing valve in one direction for aerating the liquid fuel in its passage to said cylinder under compression. v V

7 An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, of means for supplying liquid fuel to said cylinders, an air chamber communicating with said fuel supplying means, a valve Within the air chamber for distributing air to certain of said fuel supplying means, a disk operatedby said timing mechanism, and means upon said disk for determining the cylinder under compression and for positioning said air distributing valve for aerating the liquid fuel in its passage to said cylinder under com; pression.

8. An engine starter, the combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, of means for supplying liquid fuel to said cylinders, an air chamber connected to and communicating with said fuel supplying means, means for supplying air under pressure to said air chamber, an air distributing valve operated within said air chamber, a stem connected to said air distributing valve, a disk operated by said timing mechanism, a plurality of successively radially disposed quadrants arranged upon said disk for determining the cylinder under compression, and means upon said valve stem for contacting with certain of said quadrants for limiting the movement of said air valve for positioning the same for aerating'the liquid fuel in its passage to said cylinder under compression.

9. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, a liquid fuel reservoir, a main fuel pipe, valve chambers connected with said fuel pipe, fuel supply pipes connecting said valve chamber With said cylinders, pumps connected to said valve chambers for forcing liquid fuel into said cylinders, an air chamber connected to said fuel supply pipes, ports establishing communication between the said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, an air compressor, means for conveying air from said air compressor to said air chamber, an air valve operated within said air chamber and having a port therein for registering with certain of the ports of said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, a piston within said air compressor, a piston rod for operating said piston, pump plungers operated within said pumps, a valve stem for operating said air valve, and connections between said piston rod, said pump plungers and said valve stem for causing the movement of said pump plungers and said valve stem in successive order upon the movement of said piston rod.

10. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, a liquid fuel reservoir, a main fuel pipe, valve chambers connected with said fuel pipe, fuel supply pipes c0nnecting said valve chambers with said cylinders, pumps connected to said valve chambers for forcing liquid fuel into said cylinders, an air chamber connected to said fuel supply pipes, ports establishing communication between the said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, an air compressor, means for conveying air from said air compressor to said air chamber, an air valve operated within said air chamber and having a port therein for registering with certain of the ports of said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, a piston within said air compressor, a piston rod for operating said piston, pump plungers operated within said pumps, a valve stem for operating said air valve, and connections between said piston rod, said pump plungers and said valve stem for actuating the same in successive order upon the movement of said piston rod, and means operated by said timing mechanism for determining the cylinder under compression and for limiting the movement of the air distributing valve in one direction for injecting air into the liquid fuel in its passageto the cylinder under compression.

11. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, a liquid fuel reservoir, a main fuel pipe, valve chambers connected with said fuel pipe, fuel supply pipes connecting said valve chambers with said cylinders, pumps connected to said valve chambers for forcing liquid fuel into said cylinders, an air chamber connected to said fuel supply pipes, ports establishing communication between the said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, an air compressor, means for conveying air from said air com- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of pressor to said air chamber, an air valve operated Within said air chamber and having a port therein for registering with certain of the ports of said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, a piston within said air compressor, a piston rod for operating said piston, pump plungers operated within said pumps, a valve stem for operating said air valve, and connections between said piston rod, said pump plungers and said valve stem for actuating the same in successive order upon the movement of said piston rod, a disk operated by said timing mechanism, and quadrants arranged upon said disk for determining the cylinder under compression and for limiting the movement of said air distributing valve in one direction for causing air to be injected into the liquid fuel in its passage to said cylinder under compression.

12. An engine starter, in combination with the cylinders and the timing mechanism of an explosive engine, a liquid fuel reservoir, a main fuel pipe, valve chambers connected with said fuel pipe, fuel supply pipes connecting said valve chambers with said cylinders, pumps connected to said valve chambers for forcing liquid fuel into said cylin ders, an air chamber connected to said fuel supply pipes, ports establishing communication between the said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, an air compressor, means for conveying air from said air compressor to said air chamber, an air valve operated within said air chamber and having a port therein for registering with certain of the ports of said air chamber and said fuel supply pipes, a piston within said air compressor, a piston rod for operating said piston, pump plungers operated within said pumps, a valve stem for operating said air valve, and connections between said piston rod, said pump plungers and said valve stem for causing the movement of said pump plungers and said valve stem in successive order upon the movement of said piston rod, a disk operated by said timing mechanism, and successively radially disposed quadrants of a number equal to the cylinders of the engine arranged upon said disk for determining the cylinder under compression and for limiting the air distributing valve in one direction for aerating the liquid fuel in its passage to said cylinder under compression.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTON I. SANDBO.

Witnesses:

H. W. DAMMANN, ALBERT G. ARP.

Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

